Why I Want to Be a Canine Nutritionist

I like science. I like to ask a lot of questions, do a lot of research and come to my own conclusions.

I already know a lot about human nutrition. It all started with a book called Body Fueling about 15 years ago. Then I learned a lot about sports nutrition in my marathon running, weight lifting days. Then I learned a lot about healing foods when I started having medical issues (mostly from getting old I suppose). I want to continue to learn about nutrition but I am kind of bored with the human stuff.

I care more about what my dogs eat than what I eat. I KNOW about human nutrition but I never met a cheeseburger I didn’t like. I love food and eat more than I should. I am controlling when it comes to what Chester and Gretel eat though. I am vigilant about watching their waistline and portion sizes.

I am always learning more about different dog foods and feeding methods in the name of improving their diet. I DO NOT feed them human food except raw fruits and veggies.

I want to sort through all the bullshit and misinformation out there.

Take the issue of raw bones for example. When Gretel had to go the the ER yesterday the vet found bone chunks in her stomach and freaked out. When they induced vomiting they found rubbery white chunks they insisted were rawhide. I explained that they were raw buffalo rib bones and it was my understanding that she would digest them. They said dogs don’t digest bones….at least not for months.

When I came home I did some research and the consensus seemed to be that raw bones DO break down. In one forum, I found the statement “dogs can digest raw bone. Have you never done the “drop the raw chicken leg bone into acid” in science class? the bone gets rubbery and soft. That’s what happens in the dog’s stomach– the acid breaks down the structure.” That is what I had “reasoned” to happen.

Or the issue of glucose and sugar for dogs as an example. I recently posted about the dog sports drink we use. One reader claimed that it was horrible for dogs because the first ingredient was “sugar”. I admitted being uneducated about that but they were complex carbohydrates and I know those aren’t as bad as simple sugars. After some research, it appears that dogs DO need some carbohydrates and not all sugars are bad for them (although I don’t have enough evidence to convince me that reader was totally off base).

I want to learn more about canine nutrition. I want to know for my own personal knowledge, to get the right information to continue to improve Chester and Gretel’s diet and help others to do the same. I want to learn all about it so I can add “canine weight loss and nutrition consulting” services to my dog walking business.

I am just in the beginning stages of exploring how I am going to do this. I hopped on Amazon and ordered 5 books and am trying to read them as fast as I can.

I have looked into certification courses but haven’t found one I am satisfied with yet. Believe me, it is going to happen though.

If you have any recommendations for programs that might help me get to my goal, I would appreciate it. Also, if you are a canine nutritionist, or have worked with one, I would like to hear and tips or insights you may have. I am all ears.

You’ll do great. Honestly, you probably already have *most* of the skills you need. The majority of my consulting business is really kibble and treat consultation, canine cooking classes and other basic level stuff. The courses will give you the confidence to discuss things with knowledge and to firm up your opinions on certain issues. (For example, I am not a big fan of those sports drinks either. They are OK for a special treat once in a while, but since the canine system is able to fulfil their energy needs from protein, I prefer to offer protein snacks as opposed to carbohydrate snacks when taking part in high octane activities. My go to question is always: If humans weren’t here, would my dog eat this? The introduction of carbohydrates on this scale to the canine diet is a relatively new change and I don’t believe their digestive systems and evolution have fully caught up with this change yet.)

Thanks for the insight and encouragement. I DO think that what I will learn will improve my confidence in what I already know and fill in the gaps in places I am missing stuff. With the sports drink I do think it should be used in moderation. I don’t know about the “inner workings” of it but I can tell you that it makes a HUGE difference in their hiking performance and recovery. Since they don’t get a ton of carbs in their normal diet I don’t think it will hurt them. Everything in moderation right 🙂

Great idea. Sorry to hear about Gretel’s ER experience. Maybe she is here to help guide you in life. But, no matter. We wish you luck, and to all of you, the best health!
PS)Recently, I expressed concern to Dr.Tyler at Greywolf Vet. in Sequim about P.’s dirty molars and that she did not like to chew bones to help clean them. I can brush her front teeth, but she really hates going back further. Doc Tyler told me that chewing bones can chip or break teeth. At his recommendation, I spent $30.00 on a large bag of “Enzadent Oral Care Chews” By Vetoquimol N.-A.Inc. Made in Canada. They are “special” beefhide with enzymes that help abrade debris off teeth. She likes to play tug-o-war with them and her teeth do seem to be getting a bit clearer. But I still wonder about the digestion of this product as she does eat small bits of it during play/chewing. Please let me know if you know or hear from anybody w/exp. using these or similar products.
Thanks, J.

Thanks for the tip on the chews. I have not heard of them. Gretel doesn’t have much tartar, I was just looking for a way to make sure it stays that way. If those chews are made with cow hide I personally would not use them. That is what rawhide is made of and it is the cow hike specifically that cannot be digested. If they are pig based then I wouldn’t worry. As I get further into my nutrition program I will let you know if I find any good tips.

Your vet is not wrong about the bones by the way. I have noticed with at least one of my friends that feeds raw – the bones have worn down their teeth a little.

That’s really cool! I had a nutritionist formulate the food I feed Nola and crew. Reason it has oats is ’cause my other girl Dox (Boston) really struggles to keep her weight even and oats are the only thing that keeps her from yo yoing all the time.
Nola’s Mom
P.S. I was wondering though, do you think Nola is at a good weight? Something I’m always wondered because she’s so much thicker built then Boston. She’s 9lbs

That is great that a nutritionist was able to figure out what worked for both Nola and Boston. It’s hard to tell about weight unless you see the dog. I went back and looked through some more recent photos of Nola. From the side she dis appear to have a good tuck. The only “top down” pictures I saw were of here sitting or laying down, which can be misleading. It did look like she had somewhat of a waist. it did look a little bit thick though. that could just be her body makeup or maybe she could use to lose a half pound or so. Like I said, hard to tell my photos.

That’s what I’ve been thinking. But her vet said she looked great and I can feel her ribs, spin and hip bones no problem. When you pet her she’s solid muscle and I don’t feel flab. Maybe she just looks pudgy next to skinny girl Boston. Thanks for your input! And good luck with your reaserch

Here’s a link to what I posted on Dog Forums with a side and top view of Nola. The top view is a little older and she’s a bit thinner now, but I can’t take a picture of her from above. She won’t hold still! Hope I’m not bothering you with this 🙂 If you need another picture I could email you one. Thanks, Jess!

Layla has pancrease issues (well, her numbers are always high- she has no real pancrease symptoms but we treat her like she does- just to be careful). Therefore, I home cook Layla’s food- not as great as raw, I understand, but it is what works best for her. I usehttp://www.completeandbalanced.com/

She is Canadian which works for me but worth a look! I use 4 of her low fat recipes for Layla. They come with a complete nutritional analysis which is great.

Good luck. I look forward to learning what you learn as you go! I am very diligent about what I put in my body, and Layla’s.

We make sure our athletic dogs have some carbs in their diet along with protein and fat. Good luck in your pursuit to learn more, but I bet you are going to find that there are many different approaches to canine nutrition.

Here’s a link to what I posted on Dog Forums with a side and top view of Nola. The top view is a little older and she’s a bit thinner now, but I can’t take a picture of her from above. She won’t hold still! Hope I’m not bothering you with this 🙂 If you need another picture I could email you one. Thanks, Jess!http://www.dogforum.com/dog-health/she-healthy-weight-22082/

Hey. I just found these three comments about Nola’s weight in my spam box. Sorry I missed them before. I still think her weight looks fine. If you wanted to slim her up, like I said, she could probably lose a half pound. I thought Chester was at a good weight but wanted to slim him up more. He lost 3 lbs!

So cool! I am presently taking a dog nutrition course. There were two I found available online, if I have the money I want to take them both as they are from different perspectives. The one I’m taking now is integrative canine nutrition.

I did read a bunch of books too. I’d love to talk with you about these things if you’re interested.

I only feed my two spaniels Advance dog food which is a top brand. I have been told it has all the right stuff in it. My two are healthy. The good thing about top quailty food is that you feed them less, so the poo less. 🙂

If you want to be a nutrition expert you may want to start by learning about what is in their stomach acids. It does not include those chemicals that are needed to digest raw fruit and vegetables. A dog is a carnivore and because of the makeup of their digestive juices cannot get any nutrition from any fruits or vegetables. Some raw feeders used to cook them up for long periods of time to try and get around that but in reality it does not work and can induce allergies. The only reason they are put into commercial dog foods is because they are cheap fillers.http://www.thewholedog.org/artcarnivores.html

Also, dogs do not need carbs and do not use carbs in their diets. They get energy from fat instead. This is a huge major difference between us and them. Indeed, most carbs in dog foods from from grains which are the most common allergy found in dogs. All those little itchie spots come from the kibble you are feeding, top brand or not.http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/canine-nutrition/dog-food-carbohydrates/

Actually if a dog had pancreatic issues raw is better than cooked because cooked fat causes a problem while if it’s raw it doesn’t. One more point, if you are feeding your dogs carbs blame that on any weight gain and not calories. I know many dogs with the same issue that eat raw and do very well.

So Jess, why are you afraid for others to read my posts? I’ve studied dog nutrition for a very long time, used to write a column where I answered people’s questions about it so I really do know what I’m talking about. Does that freak you out for some reason?

I am not afraid of others to read your posts. I never said that and am not sure where you got that. If I didn’t want people to read them I would have deleted them. The point I did try to make is that my blog comments section is not the platform for you to “take over” and argue in circles with me. It is not respectful to visit someone’s blog and leave 20 comments basically saying the same thing and arguing with them about their choice. Your view can be expressed in a few comments and then left at that because I have already told you that I do not need to be “convinced”. My choice is my choice and I do not wish to go round and round with you on the subject. To tell you the truth, on a post this old, I would be surprised if anyone is reading these comments anyway. I will not continue to engage you in this conversation because.

Your persistence, repetitiveness and obvious intention to convince me in spite of me politely requesting you not to do so is what “freaks me out”. I don’t appreciate people who do not respect other people’s boundaries.

Yes, this is a public blog and by writing it I am opening myself up for scrutiny and people’s opinion. I know that is what comes with the territory. I DO appreciate you visiting and taking time to leave a comment. I will not continue to engage you in this particular conversation though because my time is valuable and I don’t have time to keep responding to a conversation that is not going anywhere.

I just stumbled upon this blog entry while looking for information on this subject. I’ve been researching a lot in my own quest to properly feed my dog and I’ve found that I really enjoy studying canine nutrition. Did you ever find any good programs that interested you or were well-received?

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I Am Not Your Vet….

I am just a passionate pet parent that shares a lot of information on this blog. Some of it is researched facts; some of it is stuff I learned through the experience of owning and hiking with a Dachshund for 10 years; and some of it is just good ol' opinion. Please check with your veterinarian before your dog undertakes a new exercise routine, you introduce a new food, treat or supplement, or to confirm that anything I suggest here is a good fit for your dog.

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